With Italy almost entirely “white”, epidemiological data under control and the progress of the vaccination campaign, the majority returns to confront – and divide – on the next steps: at the center of the debate, which also involves the government in view of the next measures to be taken on the Covid front, there is the question of the possible extension of the state of emergency, which expires on 31 July, and the hypothesis of eliminating the obligation to use outdoor masks from 15 July.
“It is only a hypothesis on which we are thinking, no provision provides for it”, explain ministerial sources. On this point the Northern League’s pressing with Matteo Salvini is growing who, at the end of the interview with Prime Minister Mario Draghi, reports that he has talked about it with the Prime Minister. Who, according to the leader of the League, would have agreed: «We have not talked about dates but we have agreed that the obligation of outdoor masks is removed. I asked Draghi to run as much as possible in the return to normal. But while on the extension of the state of emergency he says “we will talk about it again at the end of July but it seems to me that the situation is back under control”, on the masks he is categorical: “We must remove the obligation to gag, I hope that within a few hours , but maybe in a few days Italy can return to freedom of breath at least outdoors ». As for the possible deadline of July 15, Salvini replies: «We are now in mid-June and we have to go around in disguise for another month with a situation now clearly under control throughout Italy? It seems to me an absolutely useless and unfair punishment ». A decision that, for the Northern League leader, could come “I don’t mean in today’s CDM but in the next one”.
From Palazzo Chigi they let it be known that during the conversation between Draghi and Salvini the positive developments of the economic situation and the prospects for recovery and growth in the country were reviewed. But that we are moving towards a new relaxation of anti Covid measures is confirmed by the minister of Italy alive Elena Bonetti: «Politics must simplify the lives of citizens and protect their health. If the doctors say that the data are such as to allow an advance “of the stop to the obligation to use outdoor masks” then we will do it as soon as possible “.
The head of the Foreign Ministry, Luigi Di Maio, shares the same opinion: «Removing the mask outdoors starting this summer is the government’s goal, and it is close. We have been waiting for this moment for months and now that the numbers tell us that we are overcoming the health crisis, we need to accelerate ”, writes the M5s minister on Facebook. As for the state of emergency, for the president of Friuli and of the Conference of Regions, Massimiliano Fedriga, “removing it is a good message to the country”. However, he warns, “and this choice will be made, it is equally true that ad hoc decrees will be needed to ensure that in some sectors the extraordinary nature of the actions will remain, I am thinking for example of the health sector for which it is essential to have personnel available because the pandemic is not over ». Salvini cuts short: «The extension of the state of emergency? It expires at the end of July, so we will talk about it at the end of July ». For Leu it is still necessary to use caution: «While Minister Speranza hopes that with the improvement of the data on infections we can finally get out of the emergency state, Salvini chases Giorgia Meloni and her propaganda to get out immediately. They are two different things ”, underlines Senator Francesco Laforgia.